Seeding energies, inclusion makes a difference

The Open Power vision lies at the basis of Enel's actions: a constant openness to the outside world, to new technologies and to ever greater interrelationship between people. This vision is the reference model of processes for the management, promotion and development of individuals that creates a common culture to tackle the great challenges of the planet.

“The Open Power model that binds the strategy to values and tangible behaviours for all the people who work at Enel has been further detailed in its operational aspects to increase engagement and the ability to tell news about the new strategy”

– Seeding Energies - Sustainability Report 2016

From recruiting to smart working

The ever-growing attention to its own people starts from the earliest stages of recruiting: from the submittal of the applications, through the interviews, to the inclusion in the Group. In an innovative, complex and constantly evolving reality like Enel’s, the analysis of the CVs is matched by an integrated assessment, which allows focusing on a candidate’s personality, skills, ways of being, ideas and potential.

There are many instruments made available to the people who work at the company to improve the work-family balance and for supporting concrete, daily needs: Flexible timetables, time bank, part time, and smart working.

Smart working, already active in Colombia and Brazil with excellent results, was also launched in Italy in 2016 with an initial involvement of 550 people and allows employees to work from home or elsewhere one day a week. Adhesion is on a voluntary basis and is based on mutual trust between the employee and the company: on the one hand, greater freedom and autonomy, on the other hand, greater responsibility in the achievement of results. The fewer commutes results in an advantage both for the quality of life and for the environment.

“The objective of smart working is to use new technologies to increase the flexibility of work, relying on people’s sense of responsibility and on trust in the relationship between the person and the company, and paying attention to environmental sustainability”

– Seeding Energies - Sustainability Report 2016

The importance of listening

People at Enel have the opportunity not only to be protagonists of their own development and their own professional growth, but also to make their voice heard throughout the Group, in line with the Open Power approach. An important moment of listening and exchange is represented by the Climate and Safety survey. A major novelty in 2016 was represented by the engagement of our people from the earliest stages, to define together the questionnaire.

The relevant communication campaign, called “E-Voice,” has allowed us to focus on the importance of participation seen as an opportunity for improvement in view of transparency and mutual exchange, to accept new ideas and suggestions and to do better.

Participation was a success: in all the countries in which Enel operates, about 60,000 people were invited; of them, 84% expressed their opinion and 54% contributed with a suggestion. The analysis of the answers also showed that 75% of its people feel to be involved, 79% believes in the goals of the company and 85% would suggest it as a good place where to work.

Diversity and inclusion

Among the values that Enel promotes for its people, three stand out and they correspond to just as many UN sustainable development goals (Sustainable Development Goals - SDG): Health and wellness (SDG3), quality education (SDG4) and gender equality (SDG5).

In November 2016, Enel’s commitment has also been acknowledged by Thomson Reuters who included Enel among the 100 global leaders for diversity and inclusion of employees. Enel, in particular, is the first of the 5 Italian companies included in the top 100 and is one of the only two electrical utilities in the top 50.

“The Policy on Diversity and Inclusion, which was published in September 2015, is based on the key principles of non-discrimination, equal opportunities and equal dignity for all forms of diversity, inclusion, work-life balance, and includes specific actions to valorise diversity in terms of gender, age, nationality and disability as well as cross-cutting actions to improve awareness and the impact on behaviour”

– Seeding Energies - Sustainability Report 2016

The objective—that Enel aims to achieve in 2020—is to ensure that 50% of candidates in selections are women. The process is already underway: at the moment, the percentage is 33% for external selections and 29% for the internal ones. Initiatives have been launched to promote the access of female students to science and technical faculties (STEM).

The maternity accompaniment project, Parental Program, continues and has been extended beyond Italy to Spain and Argentina to valorise the new skills gained during maternity leave and to chart out a pathway that does not leave mothers alone during pregnancy and beyond, also supporting them in their decisions linked to work-life balance. In Spain, the Group has also launched a programme, in collaboration with Fundación Integra, to support women who are victims of violence.

Alongside gender diversity, Enel protects and enhances those relating to age, disability and citizenship. For instance, projects have been organised to promote integration between different nationalities and cultures within the Group, with the presence of tutors to facilitate inclusion in the country of destination. In various countries, projects have also been launched to encourage the involvement of young people in the company (such as The European Pact 4 Youth) and to promote the sharing of knowledge by senior and junior staff – and also vice versa, for example, with the 6Digital Project.

“For this very reason, a direction has been taken aimed at encouraging an inclusive culture to support people in expressing their potential, each with their own experience and different cultural strength regardless of gender, age and other features representing diversity”

– Seeding Energies - Sustainability Report 2016

With regard to disability, among the various initiatives, it is worth mentioning the project launched in Brazil since 2014 for the inclusion of athletes with disabilities, which has obtained the global award for best practices and has been recognised by the UN: it provides for 12 months of training in the company, while allowing them to continue their sport training.

Health and wellness

The support to our people also involves the guarantee of their safety and health. To this end, the Group is setting increasingly more efficient standards for itself, developing new tools and operating modes. The combined indices of frequency and severity of injuries of Enel employees and contractors are in decline, as well as the total number of accidents recorded during the year. The commitment also applies to travel: for those travelling for business to destinations considered at risk, the company provides expert guides, escorts, as well as information material provided before departure.

Health is ensured through the adoption of supplementary health insurance at special conditions as well as periodic check-ups.

Quality education and involvement of children

In Italy, in 2016, Enel started several initiatives to support young men leaving high school or university and to contribute to their professional guidance: for example, the Millennials Enel Days programme, which is dedicated to the children of Enel employees, and Push to Open, in collaboration with other companies.

In the meantime, the programme We are Energy is continuing. It is an international competition dedicated to the children aged 8 to 17 years of people who work at Enel. In 2016, it reached its twelfth edition and saw the participation of 5219 children and teenagers from 23 countries. Moreover, there are also scholarship programmes, in cooperation with universities and research centers, specifically for Enel’s people: in the period between 2017 and 2020, the Group plans on awarding 480 scholarships.

These are concrete facts and figures that reflect Enel’s daily commitment in the engagement and motivation of people who work in the Group.